Flamebird and Nightwing
by SuperQueeroTrash
Summary: Lena Luthor is top in her class at the Luthor Science Academy, and she's ready for a command of her own. Will an unexpected promotion and the arrival of new crew member knock her off balance, or will Lena rise to the challenge? And just who is that reporter and why is she looking at Lena like that?
1. Graduation

**Hey folks, this is my first published fic. I'm planning on it being the first in a trilogy based on the Supergirl TV series and Comic Books. If you like it please leave me a comment or two!**

* * *

Graduation isn't what she expected. Of course she _did _expect the celebration, the fanfare, the applause. Graduating from the Spaceforce Command Program is a big deal after all.

"I am proud to present to you, the first ever graduating class of the Luthor Science Academy Leadership Training Program." The Academy Head Reynold's voice echoes throughout the hall and over the heads of the robed students, each awaiting their diplomas.

She expected to hate the crowds, full as they are of people staring at her, only to look away when she makes eye contact, afraid of how naked her gaze makes them feel. It doesn't help that she hasn't gotten any sleep, instead spending all night straightening her hair, picking out her clothes and getting her makeup just right. A layer of armor to protect herself from the world and all the ways she can be misunderstood.

She _hadn't _expected to enjoy herself, if only fleetingly. This is her day, time to celebrate _her _accomplishments. Normally she'd shy away from anything where people wanted to congratulate her. But today is different. This time she's done it all on her own, with no help from her brother. Her four years with Captain Sinclair are her accomplishments and no one else's.

Six years of war and two years of belligerent "peace", and they are all hers.

"Every one of our graduates has struggled, endured hardships, and sacrificed in order to be here." Head Reynold's booms into the mic. "And we are gathered here in honor of all of them. Yet there is one student who stands out from all the rest - whose intelligence, quick thinking, and leadership skills have proven her to be worthy of the highest honors, of both this institution and the Sol System's Alliance's SpaceForce. And whose struggles have been unique amongst our students. A recipient of the _Star Cross _and _Scientific Legion of Honor, _this student survived a disease that should have killed her, fought through her paralysis, to be the woman _standing _before us today. While in the midst of war, this student forged a team of explorers, scientists, and fighters, affectionately dubbed "L-Corp", and last but not least, this remarkable woman saved all our lives, and the entire Sol System's Alliance, with her skillfully researched deployment of isotope Kr-100."

"And she did all this _before _graduating our prestigious academy."

"Everyone, I give you, Lena Luthor!"

Applause fills the auditorium.

Lena's cheeks redden at Head Reynold's words, they're all true of course, but hearing herself praised so unambiguously is still a new feeling, and one that she isn't entirely comfortable with.

Lena rises from her seat and walks across the platform. A moment of victory for her, not over her disability like Reynold's claimed, but over her brother and his ego. She stands here today, her lower back shooting out tendrils of pain, to spite her brother, who had let his arrogance triumph over what she wanted. The head smiles at her as they offer their hand. Lena accepts it and they shake. Turning back to the audience, the Head grips the podium in front of them.

"We are pleased to present Lena Luthor with the Queen Certification of Excellence, historically presented only to our most accomplished students, Lt. Commander Luthor will be the first to receive it as a graduate of the Luthor Science Academy."

Looking out over the crowd Lena sees how uncomfortable they all are, only her friends Luke and Eli making eye contact with her, other than them no one wants to congratulate her. They are here for their own family and friends, or because she's a Luthor and they have certain _expectations. _There is, however, one stranger whose eyes don't turn away, that aren't filled with fear, hatred, or worry. Looking at her from behind glasses the only thing Lena senses is curiosity. Whatever else is behind those eyes, she can't feel it. The woman is like the calm in the center of a storm, a single bright spot when all else is darkness.

Lena closes her eyes as Head Reynolds pulls out a medal. She feels the ribbon slip over her bowed head and onto her neck. The last time she was paraded in front of a crowd, being decorated was when she'd received the _Star Cross. _An award Lex had picked her for, souring any enjoyment she might have gotten from it.

The main reason she agreed to be here at all and accept this award is because she knows for sure Lex isn't behind it, last she heard he had tried to block her from graduating at all. One more reason for them not to be speaking.

Lena opens her eyes and Reynolds has been replaced at the podium by her Captain, Veronica Sinclair. She nods at her and Lena returns to her seat. Veronica speaks on her time as Lena's Captain, their adventures before, during and after the war and Lena smiles.

* * *

One by one each student accepts their diploma and returns to their seat; which, aside from her friend Jess accepting hers, Lena finds unremarkable, and it passes through her mind in a haze.

She catches the blonde's eyes again. Lena waits, impatiently, for the last students to walk, for the parents, friends, and onlookers to finish with their zillionth round of applause, and Lena leaves. The emotions of the crowd nearly overwhelming her. The only relief coming in the stillness of the blonde woman's gaze.

Outside the Grand Hall, in the sunlight, without all eyes on her, Lena is able to breathe again and enjoy the moment for what it is. Her back still feels like it's on fire, but that will have to wait.

Her friends emerge from the mass of people, Eli running, with Luke following behind, members of her so-called L-Corp.

"Who'd have thought that the little scared girl I found all those years ago would be here today. You make me proud Luthor." Luke beams at her, pride in his gaze."

Luke is several years above her and had graduated during the war, before the SpaceForce Academy was renamed in honor of her father.

"Lena, so many firsts for you." Eli chimes in, his smile hiding a hint of jealousy. "First graduate class since the war, first class since the school was renamed, first student ever to receive a _Star Cross."_

"Don't worry Eli, first doesn't always mean best. You are gonna be so much better than I could hope to be." Lena says.

Eli laughs and nudges her shoulder. "You think so?"

"Yeah."

She more than thinks so, she knows, the way she always does, that he is destined for great things. The same way she knew fourteen years ago when Luke found her and brought her to Captain Sinclair and SpaceForce, that no matter how scared she was, no matter how gruff and short he was with her, she was safe with him. Safer than she'd been at home with Lillian. Or with Lex…

"What're our plans for the rest of the day?" Luke asks.

"We're going to wait for Jess to wrench herself free from her family and then figure it out from there."

As if summoned Jess appears at Lena's side, her excitement palpable, a nice counter-balance to Lena's desire to let the ceremony end and move on to other things.

Jess has already removed her graduation gown, revealing a silky dress that hangs off her broad shoulders and slender hips.

"I'm hungry. You ready to bounce?" Jess asks.

Luke & Eli answer in the affirmative and the three pairs of eyes turn to Lena. She's not paying any attention, looking around to see if the woman is anywhere. The eye of the storm. She isn't and Lena frowns.

"Earth to Lena." Eli's voice cuts through Lena's reverie.

"Yes?" Lena says hazily. "Sorry, I was looking for someone."

"Oh? Who?"

"Just some woman I saw earlier."

"A girl? Weren't you done with girls, dates, and all that?" Jess crosses her arms over her chest.

Lena shakes her head. "Yes. If I change my mind you'll be the first one to know. Now I have to have change before we leave." She motions to Luke, who hands her a bag of clothing.

"Why, you look great?" Eli says cluelessly.

"She looks like she's been up all night." Disapproval fills Luke's voice.

Jess looks at her with barely concealed worry in her eyes. "Not only did she _not _sleep, she's had _it _on all night, and now all morning. Haven't you?"

"Yes…it's going on fourty-eight hours. There was so much to do, I couldn't afford the rest!" Lena looks away, avoiding her friend's glare.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Eli asks. "We could have helped you!"

She sighs. "I'm going to go take a minute, change my clothes, rest. I'll meet you all at the car."

Eli begins to protest, before being cut off by Jess.

"That's a great idea. And when you get back, you can tell me about this girl that's caught your eye." Jess smiles at her, and Lena feels the warmth exuded by her friends surround her. It's clear their disapproval is only because they care, and that helps Lena feel less alone.

"Thanks." Her smile is genuine as she heads back to change.

The Grand Hall has several dressing rooms and Lena ducks into the nearest one. In her bag are some more comfortable clothes, a necessity after enduring the stifling dress for hours one end. What she picked out still projected her Luthor image, but it is also a bit more her, less tight and controlled. Something she can safely wear to lunch with friends.

She lays her bag on the nearby bench, and sheds the robe and the dress underneath. Sitting on the bench - nearly naked, Lena revels in the feel of cool wood on her skin. What she needs is a private moment, away from fearful eyes and caring friends; she reaches out with her mind and confirms that she is indeed alone. Bracing herself against the wall, with her mind Lena flips the switch that controls her spinal implant. The fire in her back subsides and she feels herself breathing freely again.

It is thanks to the implant she was able to stand in front of everyone today, looking every bit the imperious Luthor they expected her to be. The Luthor mask of indifference provides her a way to hide the pain caused by the implant. The electrical impulses it sends throughout her lower spine, force dead and disconnected nerves to live again, and cause excruciating pain. But it is worth it when people no longer see the "sad little girl" the Luthor's so _lovingly _cared for. It's worth knowing she's here in spite of the one who had spent his days and nights looking after his _sick little sister _.

Using her mind, she lifts the clothes out her bag, watching as they dance in the air around her. Lena grabs her skirt from the air and, with the same effort of lifting weights, lifts her legs with her mind and pulls the skirt up and on. Her hand is on her shirt when she sees a reflection in the mirror that isn't hers.

"What are you doing here? How long have you been standing there?"

"Oh God." The woman's hand darts to her eyes. "I, uh, didn't see anything. I swear. You were putting your shirt on. That's it."

Lena flips the switch on her implant, stands, and quickly pulls on her shirt. In front of her is a woman, with cropped blonde hair, peering out from behind her hands. She exudes the same calm as the woman from the stands, and just like before, Lena can get no sense of her thoughts..

The woman is turning to leave when Lena calls out to her. "Just who are you exactly?"

She looks back at Lena, looking sheepish.

"Uh, I'm Kara Danvers. I'm..."

"Just tell me what you're doing here, watching me change. You're not a stalker are you? I don't need another one of those."

"Uh, no. No, I'm not a stalker. I'm with the Collegian Torch, sort of. I just wanted to talk."

"The academy's student paper? I already told your editor I'm not giving any interviews and following me to the dressing room isn't conducive to changing my mind."

Kara's eyes go wide. "I'm sorry, I was just waiting for the right time, which clearly isn't now."

"Just ask me what you want to ask me Miss Danvers."

"You're clearly busy. I've interrupted, that is, taken up enough of your time. I really should go." Despite her words, the reporter doesn't move. Lena catches her eyes again, except this time she has a name to go with them. _Kara _. Through her eyes Lena senses hesitation, curiosity, and desire… A desire for what, Lena can't quite tell. It obviously goes beyond a desire for an interview. And Kara is cute. In that adorkable way girls with glasses often are. So Lena offers her a crumb.

"Tell you what." Lena raises her eyebrow. "Right now I have a lunch date with friends, but you give me your number, and I'll meet you later and you can ask me whatever you want."

Kara, nearly speechless, hands Lena a card with her number on it. "There you go Miss Luthor."

"Thank you Miss Danvers." She gathers her things and walks out of the dressing room leaving the poor baffled reporter alone.

* * *

Jess, Eli, and Luke are chatting outside her car when she approaches.

"There you are." Jess smiles.

"We were beginning to wonder if you were coming back." Eli says.

"You weren't meeting with anyone, were you?" Luke teases.

"Just you three.

"So you weren't in there with that woman who's walking out right behind you? No relation at all to the one you were looking for earlier of course." Jess teases, knowingly, not exactly disapproving, but clearly not approving either.

Lena sighs. "Let's just get something to eat, I'm starving."

"Fine, we'll let this go, for now." Lena knows that Jess isn't going to let it go but she smiles anyway.

The four of them climb into Lena's car. Lena tells the computer where they're going, and the car lifts off the ground and into the lanes of shuttle traffic. "The auto-flight mode's been a bit buggy lately. Let's hope we end up at the right place."

"All the more reason you should let me at the controls." Eli's eyes gleaming at the thought getting to fly.

"You are not going anywhere near those. Remember the last time we let you pilot?"

"I remember how much fun it was."

"We almost died Eli! That wasn't fun." Jess exclaims.

"It's not my fault Lena's car wasn't built to handle the touch of a genius."

Lena nudges him with her elbow. "Don't diss my car. It's a very good car." Her car is one of a kind, another _perk _of being a Luthor, she always gets things no one else has. Laughter echoes through the car. The rest of the ride is filled with brief discussions of the best & worst parts of the graduation ceremony, who's speeches were snooze worthy, and whose were mildly interesting.

They arrive at the restaurant and climb out after the car parks. Lena grimaces as she stands, eager to be done with the public appearances, to be safe and to let go.

Her hunger gnaws at her stomach, having not eaten since yesterday morning. Inside the scent of cooking food wafts through the air. The varying cuisines served at the Talon blend together in a uniquely appetising aroma that serves only to wet Lena's appetite further.

The computerised host directs them to a table in the back of the restaurant. Everyone grabs a seat and places their orders in the table console. Waiting to eat, conversation strikes up again.

"I hope we'll all still be with Captain Sinclair, I can't imagine serving with anyone else." Doubt flows from Eli in waves. With two more years in the academy, Lena can tell he's worrying about being left behind.

"That's not gonna happen." Lena fills her voice with as much assurance and comfort as she can.

"Besides, no other Captain would have you." Jess taunts. "Not after Veronica claimed you."

"Claimed _us_." Eli corrects. "She picked all four of us. Not just me." He mumbles.

It's true that while it was Lena's leadership and strategy that brought them all so close, it was Veronica Sinclair's choice to force them all together that paved the way for them to become L-Corp.

Lena sits silently amidst the banter, and catches Luke's eyes, smiling to herself. The two of them already knew where they'd be, Luke had found out and told her, after making Lena promise not to tell the rest of course.

"We're gonna be fine. They wouldn't dare mess with L-Corp." She says.

"Even if we were separated, it's not like we couldn't keep in touch." Luke takes a bite of the complimentary bread and Lena catches a sadness in the corner of his eyes. She prepares to ask him about it, only to get the impression this is a discussion for another time.

The waitress comes by with the food and sets the plates down in front of them, Eli flirts with her, ignoring Jess's disapproval and Luke's chagrin.

Before starting in on her food, Lena takes a moment to pull out the card with Kara's number on it and send off a message indicating when and where to meet; hoping she isn't letting her curiosity about the reporter get the best of her. Lena looks over her _L-corp _and smiles to herself; despite what everyone else expected of her, as a girl in a hoverchair or the one who ended the war, or Lex Luthor's sister, she knows that these three always have her back.

* * *

_At the age of ten, Lena was diagnosed with a disease that most doctors expected to kill her. It left her unable to eat, speak, move, or breathe on her own. During that time Lex never left her side, except to work on a cure. The first night she slept on her own, all the machines whirring around her, was when the nightmares came. When she saw dead eyes, disappearing loved ones, anger, sadness, death, darkness, and destruction. _

_Unable to scream, unable to move, unable to do anything but cry... That was also the night she first moved something with her mind. Desperate to move something, anything - an arm, a leg, even just her toes - that a power she didn't even know she had caused one of the medical monitors to fly across the room and smash into the wall. _

_Lex was the first by her side, and the only one who stayed. The only one who cared. Knowing she couldn't answer, he had spared her the pain of asking questions. He simply held her in his arms as she cried herself to sleep. _

_After that night Lex had moved his lab into Lena's room so she wouldn't have to be alone again. The dreams didn't stop, but her brother's presence had made them less pressing than that first night. It was three years before Lex found a cure, four before they saw results. During that time they had developed their own language, based entirely on her ability to move things with her mind. Her favorite was when they would play chess and Lex would tell her stories of alien worlds. They had had to get a physical chess board, since Lena couldn't use her mind powers on a holo-projection. Of course, Lex had found a beautiful set, a deep-blue and red wooden table, with matching pieces. The images were inspired by tales of a far off world where they had creatures called Nightwings and Flamebirds. Lena had only seen drawings based on travelers reports, but she had been entranced. She clung to the Nightwing piece, the mythological creature comforting when her dreams would overtake her._

_It was Lex's presence at night, and their private language that kept her sane through the darkest, hardest time of her life. It was his presence that helped her rage against the dying of the light._

_Only for him to betray her at the very end._

* * *

Lena blinks open her eyes, dismayed that despite his lack of presence at her graduation, Lex has wormed his way into her dreams. Grateful for their utter lack of disturbing content, and only slightly confused at the way they played through her early life events, she pushes them aside. Now is not the time for Lex or her flights of Kryptonian fancy.

She sits up and adjusts her legs so that her feet hang off her bed. One and a half hours isn't enough time for her inflamed nerves to quiet down, so Lena decides to wait until Kara arrives before turning on her implant. She smooths the wrinkles out of her dress, adjusting herself in the mirror so when Ms Danvers arrives she isn't a mess

It's exactly six o'clock when Lena finally hears a knock at her door. She starts, caught off guard by the sudden presence outside her room. Usually she can sense someone's arrival before they get close...

Unsettled, she steels herself and turns on the implant, walks to the door and pulls it open, revealing Ms. Danvers looking only slightly less flustered than earlier.

"Hi." Kara clutches her notebook to her chest.

"Hi. Come in." Lena motions inside and closes the door after Kara. "Have a seat. Anywhere you like."

Lena raises an eyebrow at Kara's outfit, which is decidedly less revealing than what she was wearing earlier. Her button-up and pants seem like armor and Lena wonders what the reporter is protecting. Once Kara seats herself next to Lena's worktable, Lena grabs a seat on the opposite side of the room.

"Now tell me, what questions could be so pressing, that you've been following me around for days?" Lena leans forward. She knows how to maintain control in most situations and despite not being able to read Kara she hopes that jumping right into the interview will keep Kara on her toes.

"Now that you're no longer a LSA student, but a fully fledged officer in Spaceforce, what are your plans?" Kara edges forward in her seat, tapping her pen on her tablet.

"I plan on returning to the Spaceforce fleet to become a captain. As you know, that isn't my decision. If they wanted, the Admiralty Board could have me assigned to the lunar mining colony or some garbage detail."

"Would they really do that? I mean, you are their most famous new officer, after all. That would be a waste of your talent!" Kara struggles to keep emotion from her voice, straightening her back to maintain composure. Lena's fascinated, the idea she would be treated unfairly, seems to have really upset the reporter.

"There are people who, despite all I've done to make a name for myself outside my family, only see me as Lex's little sister. His influence is so broad and far ranging, most assume that I'm at his beck and call. If you thought making me captain would give one of the most powerful men more power, would you do it?."

As Lena speaks Kara nods, taking notes on her tablet. Looking back at Lena when she's finished. "Your brother's anti-alien views are widely known, and though you claim not to share them, you helped create and deploy Kr-100. Some say that this was a form of biological warfare, seeing as the isotope only affects Kryptonians. Your response?"

Lena sighs. "It was war. I simply found a way to protect my people from an aggressive species, who had attacked us for no reason, and who gained unimaginable superpowers when in our solar system. It's not something I'm proud of, but I saved lives. I hope I'm never asked to apologize for that."

"Uh, no." Kara purses her lips. "I can see how it must have been a hard decision. … What is your relationship like with your brother?"

"When I was young I worshiped Lex. He was the only one who made me feel welcome after father brought me home. It wasn't just his crusade that drove us apart you know, it was a much more personal matter. He and I haven't spoken in several years." Lena avoids the reporters eyes as she speaks, afraid to give too much away. The memories of Lex's betrayal were something she never spoke of. Just thinking about it left her feeling small, struck by the utter selfishness of his decision.

"Are you seeing anyone?"

Lena blinks. She suppresses the urge to end the interview right here, right now; after all every answer she's given is a matter of public record, so Kara must be after something else. Fixing the reporter in her gaze, she seeks out the purpose behind her question. Kara's eyes shine with nothing but curiosity, untainted by any malicious impulse, nor a desire to gossip. Beyond that Lena can't say, the woman is strangely hard for her to read.

"No." She says, biting the edge of her lip. If Kara is after more than an interview with a Luthor, Lena is quite happy to play along. "Are you?"

Kara's cheeks redden. "Uh, no I'm, I mean yes. Well technically yes, but no." Her back stiffens as she sputters her response.

That is the effect Lena was looking for, if not exactly the words. The flustered reporter attempting to give a bumbling explanation thrilled her. A power very different from when wary colleagues would salute her, seeing only a dangerous Luthor. This is something she can enjoy, the effect she has when people want her and don't know it yet.

Rising from her seat Lena walks over to Kara and leans over the reporter, her eyes gleaming. Kara's breath quickens and she swallows hard.

"Uh, Miss Luthor, this isn't what…"

"Lena." She purrs into Kara's ear. Lena places her hand on the woman's thigh and she feels Kara quiver beneath her.

"_Lena_." Kara protests, a stoniness filling her voice. "This really isn't why I'm here. You really are beautiful but..."

"But?" Lena pulls her face away from Kara's ear only to draw her gaze to Kara's eyes. Those same inquisitive eyes that haven't turned away from her, full of everything she had forgotten could live in a person's eyes. Deep _blue _eyes full of mysteries. In these blue eyes Lena sees a challenge to be better than what the world says she is, she see righteous fire, and a loneliness and pain that are all too familiar. A pain that she could kiss away...

Kara jumps, the moment shattered by a piercing ring.

"Oh, that's mine." Kara's relief is palpable as she glances at her smartwatch. "I, uh, I have to go."

Kara's walls go back up and Lena is shocked at how quickly the shift happens.

"So soon?" Lena retreats from the reporter as she hurriedly gathers her things.

"Yes. I'm sorry. This was lovely." Kara is halfway out the door when she turns back to Lena, all smiles. "Let's do this again sometime."

And with that she disappears through Lena's door leaving her with more questions than answers.


	2. Venture

**There is quite a bit of technobabble in this chapter. Worldbuilding is still happening. This is the chapter where you also really begin to see this is almost a Supergirl/StarTrek crossover, but it's more of an AU fusion, heavily Star Trek and Mass Effect inspired but using Supergirl elements. Aspects of this chapter may seem familiar to fans of the 2009 Star Trek movie. Enjoy!**

-SQT

* * *

It is aboard the _Venture, _surrounded by her crew, their murmurs and cold looks that Lena feels the most at home. Even before the war, when Lex had yet to show her his true colors, Luke and Captain Sinclair had made her feel welcome. Not a small task considering how withdrawn she was at the time. Luke had thought it was the hoverchair, but that had never been the issue for her.

Standing on the bridge, Lena watches the crew at their work, only a few briefly glancing her way, most preferring to avoid her gaze. Only two weeks since graduation and she is already back where she belongs, only now she's not in training. Given the rank of Commander, Lena is now chief Science Officer and second-in-command of the _ESF_ _Venture. _

Everyone wears uniforms of various colors and designs that indicate one's department. Lena's role as science and command displayed by her red shirt with gold trim, with three pips on her collar indicating rank. Embroidered over her heart a design of one large planet surrounded by several smaller ones, the Spaceforce insignia.

All Tactical, Security, Flight, and Command operations are coordinated from the bridge, each having their own station. In the center of the bridge, on a slightly raised dais, is the Captain's Chair. Next to it is Lena's science station, from where she can check data on all spatial anomalies and distortions and quickly relay the information to the Captain. At the far end of the bridge, is the viewscreen, where the crew can get a sense of what space looks like and communicate with other ship's crews.

The captain emerges from her ready room off of the bridge, her gold shirt drawing all eyes. She catches Lena in her gaze and nods. Captain Veronica Sinclair commands attention, she knows what needs to happen and expects to be obeyed. It's that same air of authority that she demands of Lena. One Lena has tried to reject in favor of building comradery with her crew.

Sinclair takes her seat in the captain's chair. Lena positions herself next to her, ready to begin as a flurry of reports flow from the crew.

"We've cleared spacedock Captain." Eli pips in from a console in front of her chair.

Behind her at the security console stands Luke, his shirt and ranking indicating Chief Security Officer. "All stations are ready."

"Commander Luthor" Sinclair turns in her chair to Lena.

Lena fills her in. "SpaceForce has detected an anomaly on the edge of the Kryptonian neutral zone. We've been ordered to investigate. Command suspects that Krypton is amassing a fleet. Though long range sensors are returning very little data."

"And what are your suspicions?"

"The energy signatures don't match any known Kryptonian vessels. Command is chalking it up to sensor error, though the data is clear. There has been a large spatial distortion on the Alliance border consistent with a fleet, or possibly, a single massive vessel."

Sinclair nods. "Thank You Commander. Cadet Wessler, set a course for the anomaly."

"Aye Aye Captain. Course laid in and engines at maximum." Eli finishes manipulating the controls at his console.

"Punch it."

Eli throws a lever forward on his console and the _Venture_ is thrust forward through space at maximum speed. The stars swirl in the viewscreen, blur, and disappear as they enter hyperspeed.

* * *

_She was fourteen when Luke stumbled upon her, a lone girl in a hoverchair out past curfew. She had tried running away before, but tonight was the farthest she'd got without being caught by Luthor Private Security. And when he'd stepped into the ally she was hiding in Lena thought it was all over, another faceless brute come to take her home. But when the streetlights hit his face, she saw a deep kindness in his features. Even then Lena hadn't been sure if she could trust him, but when she saw the girl with him, stepping out of the shadows, her long dark hair pulled back in a braid, an imposing figure who Lena wanted nothing more than to follow to the edges of space. Luke introduced himself and his companion, Veronica Sinclair. It was her eyes that drew Lena in the most, sensing the girl didn't see her in her chair as something to be pitied, but a person with certain limitations just waiting for a taste of freedom._

_That night Veronica had got her into a night club that only served Spaceforce cadets. Veronica herself was prized in Spaceforce, on her way to being the youngest graduate and some said, to being the youngest captain ever. _

_Inside the club was unlike anything Lena had ever seen. The only times she had ever gone out were with Lillian & Luthor to their science investment Galas and other even more boring events._

_The club was filled with SpaceForce cadets of all ages, all wearing vibrant clothes that drew your eyes. The club had a zero-g dance floor, so Lena could make as much a fool of herself as all the other people, and without drawing eyes. "Dancing" with no gravity was different from what she remembered of regular dancing, and it was one of funnest experiences of her young life._

_After that night Lena begged to be allowed to live on the Venture with Veronica & Luke. Captain Graves had consented eventually, and with her father's blessing and against her mother's protests Lena moved on board._

_At first she had shared a room with Veronica. But as Lena started to notice things about the other girl, her eyes, her hips, her breasts, her legs… it became too much and Lena requested her own room. Though she did want to explore these new feelings. And so one night she had hovered up to Veronica's door and paged. Veronica let her in and that night Lena learned some amazing new things about her body, and that her paralysis need not prevent her enjoying herself._

_Their relationship continued on like that for a while, Lena going to Veronica's door, learning all the ways to bring a woman pleasure. They talked, laughed, loved and Lena opened up to her about her dreams and her fear of being consumed by the darkness in them. They had gone on like this until Lena learned why everyone called Veronica _Roulette.

* * *

The blur of the stars slows, swirls, and stops all together as the _Venture _exits hyperspace. Slowly, and then faster and faster as the sensors realign to the new region of space, readings begin to flood the _Venture's _instruments.

Lena checks the scanner for signs of the disturbance.

"Uh, Captain, Commander, I don't think we have to look very hard." Eli's voice sounds choked as he stares at the viewscreen.

Bearing down on the _Venture _is a massive ship, of which only a small portion can be seen through the ship's default cameras.

"Adjust for negative 200 zoom." Veronica shouts out.

Lena's fingers fly across her console, the adjustment made before the order was fully given. The viewscreen adjusts in response and the massive ship shrinks to fit. Even at a viewable size the ship is massive.

"Commander, what are we looking at?"

"I don't know. There's nothing like it in the Spaceforce records. I am seeing something in the martian's records regarding a legendary ship the size of a small moon, but they never found anything to substantiate it."

"I think we may have." Sinclair's voice is tight and restrained, whatever she's feeling remains hidden.

Lena's console beeps. "I have something. Captain, they've locked weapons on us."

"Evasive pattern Delta-four!" Veronica's voice competes with the now blaring alarm.

Eli moves as fast as he can, inputting command after command to keep the _Venture _out of range of the enemy's weapons.

"Incoming fast." Mercy's screen flashes. "We've got got three incoming torpedoes."

"Get rid of them."

"On it Captain." Mercy adjusts the firing mechanism and is able to hit one of the torpedos with the ship's laser.

The third impacts with a thud, sending shockwaves throughout the ship.

"Damage report."

"Hyper-engine capabilities have been knocked out. We can get them back, but I've never seen anything like that." A voice pipes in over the intercom from engineering.

The ship is wracked with another explosion, throwing Veronica and Lena to the floor. Lena quickly scrambles to her feet and offers a hand to her captain. Sinclair ignores it and comes to her feet on her own.

The view screen flashes and is flooded with static, when it clears there is an image of a grey-skinned alien filling the screen. "We are the Diasporans. You will surrender your captain and she will come aboard our ship via shuttlecraft prepared to negotiate a ceasefire. That is all. "

The image disappears and Veronica turns to Lena. "Follow me. Luke you too." Lena glances at Luke.

"Mercy, you have the bridge." The young officer nods and turns back to her station.

Roulette marches onto the turbolift, Lena and Luke hot at her heels_._

* * *

_Lena trails after Veronica. Tonight wasn't just another night. Veronica had finally agreed to show Lena what she gets up to when the Venture docks. _

"_With a war on, it's important we all get a chance to unwind, relax, and most most importantly release all the aggression and anger we keep bottled up inside that allows us to fight as long as we do." _

_Lena nods. It make sense, though Lena can't help wondering why if it's so great, Veronica's never brought her along before. _

_Veronica leads them down the corridor and they arrive at a unassuming door. Veronica knocks and whispers in reply to an unheard question, and the door opens. _

_Once inside Lena is surprised to see an empty room, save for a transporter pad and the person who let them in._

"_Up you go." Veronica motions to the pad, and Lena maneuvers herself onto it. Lena has only gone through the new transporters a few times, enough to know they only take one person at a time. Veronica nods to the operator and the tiny room around Lena disappears and is replaced by a much larger, much louder one. She's only alone for a few seconds when Veronica appears at her side. _

"_This is Eternity, Alpha's most exclusive club. Even you would have a hard time getting in without an invitation. Lucky for you, tonight you're a VIP." Veronica answered Lena's unspoken question._

"_There's no way you took me through the dirtiest parts of the space station just to get me into a club."_

_Veronica leans over Lena, her dark braided hair falling over her shoulder. "Lena, love, of course I did. Now, be careful about asking questions, the wrong ones to the wrong people will get you killed, and there's nothing I or your brother can do about that."_

_As they push through the crowd the patrons nod to Veronica each saying the same name, _Roulette.

"_Why are they calling you that?"_

"_You'll see."_

_Lena follows Veronica into the depths of the club, revealing a cage at its heart which draws all eyes. A large crowd is gathered around it, waiting for something to begin. She finds a place where she can sit comfortably as Veronica strolls into the center of the cage, spotlights appearing on her. She motions with her hand and the chatter of the crowd dies down, and Lena almost sees a different person._

"_Welcome to Roulette's Rumble. Tonight we have two very special guests, one who we've barely been able to restrain. I expect to see a new contender for Champion! So those of you betting on Lobo, tonight you may want to hedge your bets."_

"_Our other guests is none other than Lena Luthor, you may know her as the daughter of SpaceForce scientist Lionel Luthor, but I know her as the woman who saved fifty Alliance lives and prevented a Kryptonian invasion of Daxam. Tonight's fight is in honor of her." _

_Lena feels a creeping sense of dread._ A fight? In honor of her? How could Veronica not know this is the last she'd want? _Lena balls her hands into fists._

_Veronica walks out of the cage and a bell rings. On one side of the cage a door opens, and dark-skinned human looking figure stumbles out into the cage, now filled with a deep red light._

"_Our challenger is a Kryptonian soldier captured during their failed invasion, he's killed many an Alliance soldier, and tonight we show him how hospitable we can be. I give you Val-Zod, the Super-Man of the Argo Fleet." Roulette spits._

_The crowd hisses and boos as Val-Zod stands in the ring, exuding fear and danger._

_From the other side another door opens and a hulking grey figure bursts through the opening._

_Veronica's voice echoes over speakers. "Our Champion, The Main Man, Lobo!"_

_Lena hears the figure shouting through the crowd's cheers. "The Main Man is here for only one reason. To Rumble! And to Kill a Kryptonian! Ooooraaahh!"_

_Another bell sounds and the fight commences. It's over quickly and ends with Lobo standing over the body of Val-Zod, his head smashed into pulp._

_Lena catches Veronica making her way towards her, only to feel like she knows nothing of the woman coming her way. She thought maybe she was falling in love with the reckless commander, but now? Lena senses hatred pouring off Veronica, enough to seriously hurt her if she wasn't already dampening her powers to survive the crowd._

"_So, love, what do you think? Impressive no?" Veronica flashes Lena a smile._

"_So they call you Roulette because you gamble over people's lives?_

"_So many of those Kryptonian bastards never face justice. We die, but they never do. Bringing them to our little fight nights, is a great way to get revenge for all the lives they've destroyed, like your father's."_

"_You aren't doing this for me."_

_Veronica points out into the ring._

"_You see that body? Val-Zod is the one responsible for killing your father, and if you hadn't stopped him he would have killed thousands more. I brought you justice tonight."_

"_Veronica, this is wrong. You know that. This isn't what we're supposed to…"_

"_Supposed to what, Lena? Be good girls and do what the admirals who've forgotten what war is like and diplomats who've never faced it, tell us to do? They send us off to get killed fighting an enemy who can't lose. They don't care about us, why should we care about their vaunted values? Truth and Justice don't matter out here."_

"_The Main Man is ready to accept payment now! Give me what you promised Roulette!" Lobo shouts at them from inside the battle cage, still illuminated by the red glow. A red glow that Lena senses must be important._

"_You're right. The Admiralty Board doesn't care about us, but you… You found a way to kill them, and you're keeping it for yourself, this here, this is murder."_

"_What does it matter if we kill them here or out in a battlezone? Here we have an advantage, the only known way to kill them, otherwise we're just sending our fighters to the slaughter."_

"_If you shared this with Science Command, instead of trying to impress me with your warped sense of justice, we might actually be able to win the war."_

"_Slow down. I found nothing. Lobo here is responsible for everything. He brought this device that emits the red light you're seeing; it weakens a single kryptonian to a point they can be killed, he calls it the _Light of Rao_. But it's useless to us, only he knows how to use it, and he won't give it up unless he loses. That man has never lost a fight." Veronica turns from Lena towards the cage._

"_Give him his payment. He's earned it." She turns back to Lena. "As for you, you're welcome to stay or go. Hatch whatever scheme I know you're cooking up. But know that if you try to report this, they'll never find it."_

_Lena watches Veronica walk away as she makes the decision to return to the ship. For the time being she isn't going to say anything, as there is something much more important on her mind. Lena and Lionel's research into Kr100 had proved not entirely successful, they'd only been able to develop it enough to act as a barrier; however, that red_ Light of Rao _could provide the answer Lena needs to finish their work. And maybe change the tide of war._

* * *

After a few seconds the turbolift door opens again onto the shuttle bay and Veronica, Luke, and Lena step out. Veronica steps toward a nearby console and opens the hangar bay doors, beyond is cold space kept out by level atmospheric force fields.

Veronica turns to Lena "Lena you're the captain now. And Luke I'm promoting you to first officer."

"Captain..." Lena starts to object but is cut off.

"You're the captain now, not me. You two, take care of eachother. And my ship."

Luke glances at Lena, a pained look on her face. "We will, I'll keep her out of trouble."

"That's a good man."

Veronica turns and climbs into the nearest shuttle, Lena climbs in after her.

"Veronica, what are you doing? You can't just leave like this, the captain of a starship can't just surrender herself."

"Oh my sweet girl. I'd have thought you'd learned by now that victory doesn't come by following the rules. We have to be willing to take risks and flaunt the rules." Veronica reaches out and cups Lena's cheek. "Don't let Luke kill himself protecting you, and remember that just because your dreams frighten you doesn't mean you have to avoid them."

Lena climbs out of the shuttle and the door closes, separating her from her former captain; She reaches for Luke's hand as the shuttle takes off towards the Diasporan's ship. It passes through the open hangar doors and the atmospheric force field.

The shuttle moves out of the range of the _Venture's _shields, growing smaller and smaller the further away it gets. As it nears the hulking monstrosity a red beams shoots out from the hull of the Diasporan vessel and tears through the shuttle.

Lena screams and the ship rocks beneath her, she grabs Luke to steady herself before she falls.

Through the open door of the hanger Lena sees the shields flickering as they are bombarded by laser beams from the enemy ship.

"Bridge this is the Captain, tell me what the hell is going on."

"Lena?" Mercy's voice comes through the intercom, intercut by static. "Where's Captain Sinclair?"

"She's gone." It's all Lena can do to keep her voice from breaking. This is what's she's trained for, and she has a ship and crew depending on her. Veronica Sinclair was gone now, yet… She was her _still_ her captain.

Lena and Luke fly across the room as the ship rocks again.

"What's the status of the shields?" Lena demands.

"Thirty percent Captain. Their weapons are stronger than anything an alliance vessel has ever faced."

Slowly rising from where she was thrown to the floor, Lena begins issuing orders.

"Mercy, divert power to the shields from recreation and non-essential research areas. Eli, show us some of that fancy flying."

"Yes ma'am!" They both respond over the comm.

"Luke, I need you to get teams together and send them deck by deck to make sure everyone has made it to safe areas. Once that's going get to the bridge and make sure Mercy & Eli don't lose our ship."

"What about you?"

"I've got to make sure our visitors leave us alone."

Luke turns and passes through the turbolift door but Lena's voice stops him before he's gone completely.

"And Luke?"

"Yes?"

"Stay alive."

Luke grins at her. "You know it!" And with that he's gone.

Lena runs over to the nearest computer console and pulls up the display for the _Venture_'s internal transporters. She locates the material she needs from the engineering deck and cargo bays and directs them to her location. A container of stabilized dark matter, wiring, detonation and activation devices and other pieces from engineering materialise and she sets to work.

What she wants to do is make a bomb and get it aboard the enemy ship, but without knowing who and what is aboard that thing, there's no way of knowing what exploding it will do. The next best thing would be something like an irradiating pulse, if she can set the dark matter to release when it comes in contact with radiation and program the device to release enough of the irradiated dark matter that it would incapacitate everyone on board within seconds of release..

Looking out through the hanger bay doors, which are now jammed open, Lena can see how Eli is trying to maneuver the _Venture _away from its assailant, but no matter how far they pull away the Diasporan ship is always right back on top of them.

The device is coming together in her hands when Luke's voice pops in over the comm. "Commander, I mean Captain, our shields are at 2%, whatever you are planning, it better happen now, once the shields are down their weapons can tear right through our hull!"

"Just keeping the hangar atmo field from going out, I'm working on…"

Lena is interrupted by an explosion, before she can regain her bearing, four Diasporans appear in front of her. She grabs for the gun at her side only to have it knocked out of her hand by one of the towering grey figures.

"Captain?"

A grey hand reaches out and Lena feels it's grip on her throat as she's lifted from the ground.

"Captain? What's going on?"

Her lungs struggle to fill with air as dark spots appear in her vision. She tries to pry the creature loose, neither her hands or her mind accomplishing the task. As the edges of her vision blurr and the world grows dark, the last thing she sees is the creature's ugly scowl as Luke's voice screams her name over the comm.

An eternity passes before the hold on her neck loosens slowly and then all at once. Lena crumples to the ground, her neck sore and her breath coming in gasps. The Diasporan that was holding her is nowhere to be seen as the other three are engaged in battle with an armoured figure in a red cape. Her vision clears and her breath evens out. Standing slowly Lena grabs her gun from where it fell and raises it at the Diasporans.

Except all four of them are out cold, and the caped figure stands over them, exuding strength and invulnerability.

Lena immediately activates her comm.

"Luke, please tell me we haven't lost this ship."

"Lena? You're alive?" Relief floods Luke's voice. "Not yet, but they've managed to beam over boarding parties to just about every deck, we don't have the firepower to deal with all of them."

"I'll think of something. We may have some unexpected help. Don't ask, I'll fill you in later. Lena out." She shuts her comm down and turns her attention to her saviour.

"I don't know who you are but just because you saved my life, don't think I won't throw you in the brig for trespassing." Lena's threat is empty, after all if the intruder can take out four Diasporans on their own, what can she do?

The figure turns to her, red and blue armor reflecting the light of the fire, Lena can't see the face clearly through the mask that covers the eyes. Emblazoned on their chest is a symbol she's only ever seen on the newsvids, a Kryptonian symbol resembling an S. The Symbol of the House of El, and the Kryptonian war hero Flamebird.

Looking at Flamebird with her long blond hair, is like looking at a storm of fire of which she is the calm center. "Are you okay?" When she speaks it's almost as if Lena knows her voice and it frightens her.

"I'm fine." Lena projects as much strength as she can muster, it won't do to look weak now. "Thank you for that. Now how did you get on my ship?"

The hero poses arms on hips matching Lena in projecting strength. "Same way they did, punched a hole through your shields."

Lena sighs. "I've got it from here. You can go back to whatever it is you were doing before."

"That Diasporan had you. If I hadn't stepped in you'd be…"

"Dead. I know. I said thank you. You can go."

"What are you going to do against a ship full of those monsters?" Flamebird's voice is hard and oddly concerned, something Lena doesn't expect from a Kryptonian warrior.

"I have a plan." She doesn't know if it will actually work, since she's going to have to modify her device to avoid killing those aboard.

Flamebird bores into Lena with her eyes and the only thing Lena can sense is the storm whirling around her. After a moment the hero drops her pose.

"As you say Commander Luthor."

"It's Captain now."

"Captain Luthor." Flamebird nods, and rising from the floor, flies out through the atmospheric field and hangar doors.

"Computer, seal the hangar bay with the emergency blast doors and don't let anyone else on my damn ship."

The computer beeps in the affirmative and four interlocking doors close over the open doorway.

Lena turns back to her device. "Lena to bridge." The intercom flickers on.

"Bridge here. Orders Captain?" Luke's voice crackles through the static.

"Can you get a lock on the intruders? Beam them off ship?"

"Negative Captain." Mercy's voice. "As long as they are awake they emit some kind of interference, we can't even tell how many there are."

"Alright, listen carefully. I'm going to release an irradiated dark matter pulse throughout the ship, it is going to knock out all sentient organic life on the _Venture. _Program the computer to transport all Diasporans into space once it can get a lock on them and plot a course for the nearest Alliance star base. Hopefully we'll have woken up by then."

"What if we can't beam them off the ship?"

"Then we'll just have brought a hostile force inside Alliance space. No time for questions Lieutenant, just do it."

Lena puts the finishing touching on her dark matter bomb just as the turbolift doors open and another squado of Diasporans marches into the hangar bay.

"Captain, we're ready."

"See you on the other side." Lena activates the device and slowly at first then all at once a glowing energy bursts from the machine and the last thing she senses is it passing through her.

"Now approaching Starbase Beta 15. No sign of the intruders or their ship."

Lena walks out of the turbolift into the bridge, head pounding from her altercation with the Diasporans and the unexpected nap.

"We're all clear ma'am."

"Thank you Commander Perec. Let's tend to our wounded and let SpaceForce know what just happened."

"Lena, are you okay?" Luke's voice comes through their private chanel.

"I was just rescued by a fucking Kryptonian warhero, of course I'm not okay. Keep this between us please Luke, the last thing we need right now is the press coming around asking questions."

"Or the Admirals."

"Exactly. Let's just get back and hope we don't have to answer too many unanswerable questions."


End file.
